By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

Lake Orion Community School’s Board of Education, having received the gift of time, is taking full advantage by proceeding with their superintendent search carefully and precisely.

Superintendent Marion Ginopolis announced earlier this fall that she would be leaving Lake Orion at the end of the current school year.

One of the first steps in the process of hiring a new superintendent is putting out a Request For Approval (RFP).

During their Oct. 23 meeting, the board heard from Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Rick Arnett regarding where the district currently is in the process.

The approval given by the board later in the meeting allowed the RFP to be sent out the following day.

The board had been clear during the past several meetings that they would prefer to release an RFP that was relatively standard in the industry.

Among the list of services the search firms are expected to provide are: recommendations for the process, including the plan and timeline for recruitment; selection and communication; engage stakeholders to determine desired qualities; and identify candidates that the fit the board’s criteria.

Proposals are due back to the district by 4 p.m. Nov. 13. The board will then select their finalists at the Nov. 20 meeting, and on Dec. 18 the district will hold a special board meeting where they will make their final decision as to which search firm the district will work with for the remainder of the process.

Ginopolis is expected to retire on June 30, 2020. School board members have stated that they wish to hire a new superintendent by May 15, 2020.